The Nanake Chronicals: The Saiyan Saga
by Nanake
Summary: Here it is, in original print, The NON-Soap Opera version that doesn't completely revolve around the Nan/Veg romance. The Nanake Chronicles are more DBZish. (romance won't start til later) I fixed ch9 and added 10!!! Enjoy! R&R!!!!!
1. A New Ally: Nanake!!!

A New Ally: Nanake!!!

Gohan dashed through the tall grass as the saber tooth tiger stormed after him.  
  
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Catch me if you can!" He chirped happily. Gohan had adjusted to living in a wild just perfectly. He loved it except for being homesick. They both ran on for awhile until they both stopped dead in their tracks when they saw something streak across the sky.  
  
"Whoa! What was THAT?!" Gohan looked up at the sky in awe.  
  
Piccolo flinched and opened his eyes.  
  
("They can't be here yet! It's only been a month and Raditz said a year!") He thought to himself. He flew to where he felt the energy coming from and saw, at the bottom of a crater, a small round spaceship.  
  
"Whoa! That's a Saiyan spaceship!"  
  
  
  
Cautiously, Piccolo floated down to the space pod and peeked through the teal window into it. Inside, he saw an unconscious nude woman. He saw a tail and, not knowing how to open the stupid thing, he ripped the door off to take a closer look. Her black hair was quite long and she wore completely nothing except a scouter over her left eye. ("She looks like she's spent her entire life in this pod...") he thought, ("Either that or she's just real... disgusting...")  
  
After sensing that her power level was low, he flew above the crater, located a pond, moved some water with his mind and made it float back down to the crater and splash the woman in the face. He landed in front of the gasping, surprised creature and crossed his arms. She tumbled out of the pod, coughing and wheezing. Piccolo stared coldly down at her. She looked up at him frightened and mouthed a word before she could even speak it... as if she hadn't spoken in a long, long while.  
  
"Spit it out, Saiyan." Piccolo shouted. She flinched at the hard tone in his voice and slowly gathered up the courage to speak.  
  
"E-excuse me... who are you?"  
  
"I should be asking you the same thing."  
  
"I am... I am..." She paused, trailing off, "I am..."  
  
"Don't you have a name?" he snapped.  
  
"I... I don't know..."  
  
"You don't KNOW?!"  
  
"I... uh... no..." she flustered, blushing, and almost broke into tears when she heard a beeping and a feminine robotic voice coming from the pod.  
  
"MISSION LOG... MISSION LOG... MISSION LOG... MI-"  
  
Nanake scrambled back into her pod and pushed the button that was blinking.  
  
"HELLO NANAKE. DID YOU SLEEP WELL?" The robotic voice chirped.  
  
"C-computer...? Was it your voice talking to me all this time... I-I-I only remember total blackness and a voice talking to me... it sounded like you..."  
  
"YOU'VE BEEN ASLEEP, NANAKE."  
  
What... What is Nanake?"  
  
"YOU ARE, NANAKE."  
  
"My name... I have a name..." She smiled a bit, and then quickly asked, "Computer, who am I? Where did I come from? What happened? Do I have a family? How did I-"  
  
"YOU ARE A SAIYAN. YOU WERE SENT OUT AS A BABY TO DESTROY THE PLANET ZIMPER."  
  
"Zimper?" Piccolo raised and eyebrow.  
  
"ON THE ROUTE TO ZIMPER, THIS POD COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL METEORS AND WE WERE THROWN OFF COURSE."  
  
"So I've just been drifting around in space since I was a baby?" she asked?  
  
"YES." The computer chirped, "FOR TWENTY-THREE YEARS. NANAKE, ARE YOU GOING TO EXPLORE NOW? IF YOU ARE, PLEASE DON'T FORGET YOUR SCOUTER."  
  
Nanake touched the scouter on her face and murmured,  
  
"My scouter... this is a scouter?"  
  
"Come on." Piccolo grunted, "Lets get you some food and clothes."  
  
He picked the nude Saiyan up in his arms and carried her away through the skies. Soon, they were hovering above Chichi's house. Piccolo dropped her and flew away without saying a word.  
  
Nanake landed flat on her back and cringed, "Owwww... that jerk, that hurts!" Chichi, having heard the loud thud outside, opened the door and started freaking out.  
  
  
  
Inside, Nanake had been sent upstairs to take a nice long, relaxing bubble bath while Chichi cooked her a meal and searched through her wardrobe to find something that fit her.  
  
("So... I'm a Saiyan... but where do I come from? Who am I? I mean I know my name and race... and where I've been my whole life and why... but what about my family? Did I ever even have one?")  
  
  
  
Soon, Nanake came downstairs in one of Chichi's pink robes.  
  
"Awww... You look so pretty! Pink is definitely your color! Now, we only have to worry about your hair! You eat your soup, while I go and find some hair supplies."  
  
Nanake sat and conversed with the cheerful Ox King while she ate her soup. Soon Chichi came back down and began to brush and cut her hair. After Chichi was finished, she looked very beautiful... and in a way... looked a little like Chichi... Chichi looked proudly upon her work. Nanake's jet-black hair was up in two buns, one of each side of her head, and she had a thick strand in front of each ear, and bangs just above her brow.  
  
"There! All you needed was a woman's touch!"  
  
  
  
Deep in the night, after destroying the moon, Piccolo hovered above Nanake's window and smirked.  
  
"Time to enroll you into boot camp. Come take your turn."He appeared in her room and stole the beautiful sleeping Saiyan from her bed and flew out the window. Nanake awoke with a start from the chill of the night air.  
  
"What?! Where are you taking me?!" She shrieked.  
  
"Pipe down! You're going to get some training in before the Saiyans arrive here on earth!"  
  
"Saiyans? Coming here? I'm going to fight them?"  
  
"EVIL Saiyans. We might need your help. You're first part of the training is to just live."  
  
He dropped her in a desolate forest and continued,  
  
"If you can survive out her alone until I come back, then you can train with me."  
  
"B-but when are you coming back?"  
  
Piccolo grinned, showing his teeth,  
  
"You'll see." And with that, he blasted off into the skies.  
  
"WAIT!" She shrieked, "COME BACK!"  
  
She stood, completely alone and finally collapsed into tears.

And so... we meet the last surviving female of the Saiyan race... Nanake. But will three low-level Saiyans be enough for the two elites coming to Earth? Find out on DRAGON BALL Z!!!!!


	2. Nanake Plays Twister

Nanake Plays Twister

Nanake woke up, curled into a little ball, shivering pathetically from the cold night. The warm sun had just begun to come out of hiding, gaining courage as it rose higher into the sky, inch by inch. She sat up, stretched, and reached for her scouter lying in the dirt next to her. As she put it on over her ear and eye, her stomach grumbled. She groaned and tapped at her scouter in hopes that there could be life somewhere in this deserted place. She didn't pick any life with any power reading up, so she decided to fly, in hopes to find weaker ones. 

She lifted off the ground and flew for awhile until she found a small pond. She smiled and whooped for joy before landing near the clean, clear pond of water. She cupped her hand, dipped in it the water, and sipped out of it until she satisfied her thirst, and then went to pick fruit hanging from the trees. After she had finished feasting, she looked up to see the trees still too dense to get over and out of, so she walked until she saw light up ahead. She squinted and saw that the forest ended soon. She hollered happily and flew to an area where there were three mountains in a triangular formation.

Gohan was being chased yet again by the saber tooth tiger. He ran, giggling merrily through the brush and onto a grassy plain.

Piccolo meditated in the center of three mountains in a triangular formation, and concentrated hard on moving them. He deemed them obstacles. Obstacles to be overcome before the Siayans arrived. Obstacles that WERE the Saiyans... well, whatever they were, he wanted to move them- he needed to train.

Gohan and the tiger skid to a stop as the ground began to rumble. Gohan squinted through the dust that began to fly up and saw a green man in the mists of it.

"Is that Mr. Piccolo?!"

Nanake noticed some turbulence as she flew on. She also noticed rumbling coming from the mountains. Suddenly, a huge gust of sand and wind blasted her, sending her spiraling backwards.

"WHOA! WHAT THE-!!!"

She steadied herself and squinted through the storm. She saw a glimpse of Piccolo and shouted,  
"WHAT IS THAT IDIOT DOING?!"

Gohan clung to a rock as the wind started to churn, it wasn't long before it became too strong for him to possibly hang on and he was blown back.

Nanake flew on at top speed. The Saiyan blood running through her veins wouldn't allow her to be defeated by a mere sandstorm. She squeezed her eyes shut and brought her arms up to shield her face a bit form the sand attacking her face like needles. She opened her eyes to slits just in time to see a huge tornado loom right in front of her. She shrieked and tried turning to fly away, but it was already too late... she was getting sucked in.

Before she knew it, she was spiraling, and spinning, being whipped around in the huge twister. She caught glimpses of Piccolo meditated in the center of it all, and she thought she saw the mountains lift u0p and move with her, but she closed her eyes, feeling sick. The next time she opened her eyes, she was on her way into one of the mountains. Before it dawned on her to at least try to avoid it, A branch from a tree, also being whipped around hit her in the back of the head and knocked her out. Her body smashed into the mountain just as everything started to settle and calm. She slid like a rag doll down to the ground, propped up against the now standing still mountain.

"P-Piccolo made all THAT?!" Gohan stammered, hiding behind a rock with the tiger.

Piccolo looked down to see Nanake lying against the mountain, unconscious. He scoffed as he landed next to her, letting his towering form loom over her.

"If you can't even stand a storm than we're in big trouble." He looked her up and down at her scratched up features. Her hair was mussled and falling out of its buns. The lock that fell over her ears were sgraggled and messy. Her pink dress robes were ripped and dusty, as well as her arms, legs, and face. Her satin slippers were ripped, scuffed or missing. He growled and shook his head.

"For starters, we need a fighter... not a porcelain doll."

He faced his palm down at her and a flare of energy flew from it. When the short wind ended, Her locks were now also tied up in buns with the rest of her shining black hair, now clean. Her scratches were gone and her skin was also clean. Her robes were gone and she wore a blue spandex turtleneck swimsuit-like outfit with a green cape over it. Her slippers disappeared, revealing bare feet.

Piccolo smirked at his work and said,

"There. Now you actually look the part of a fighter."

He turned and walked away.

Nanake didn't wake up for days.

Nanake and Gohan have faced a few hardships... but these are nothing to what lies ahead! What new hardships are they yet to face? Find out next time on DRAGON BALL Z!!!!


	3. Don't Look at the Moon!!!

Don't Look at the Moon!!!

Nanake looked around after waking up, and noticed her new attire.

"Oh. When did these get there?" She looked at her cape and outfit, and took off her scouter to inspect it. Luckily it had received little damage to worry about so she put it back on to test it. It worked just fine, except for a small crack on the screen, but she paid it no mind. It was night out and was surprisingly bright. The stars shone all around and the thing that shined the brightest was the full moon.

"Wow... it's so big... and beautiful! I've never seen anything like it-"

She stopped dead sentence as she stared up at it. Her heart pounded irregularly and her eyes started glowing white to red as fangs started to grow.

Not too far away, Piccolo was witnessing the same event watching Gohan. Piccolo was currently split in two forms as a method of training himself. Gohan had just begun to morph into a giant ape before Piccolo's eyes! 

Nanake's body began to change. She grew bigger, and thick dark brown hair covered her entire body as her clothes ripped off. She grew ten times her normal size into a gigantic ape. She roared and pounded her chest in fury and began her rampage, destroying everything in sight.

Piccolo and his clone both struggled to figure out a way to change Gohan back to normal, when the clone was swatted down by another huge force. The clone got away from it and shouted at the original Piccolo,

"Don't look now, but there's the other one!!!"

Piccolo turned and saw Nanake the ape stomping towards him... or rather Gohan the ape. She immediately started mauling Gohan in an animalistic trance. The two fought like rabid savage beasts, howling and roaring at each other, and pounding and clawing at each other as well.

Piccolo thought long and hard before his gaze lifted up to the moon. The thought struck him and he immediately took action. He aimed and blasted the moon to bits. It wasn't long before the two apes stopped and shrank back down to their original selves. Gohan and Nanake moaned as they fell asleep shortly after returning back to normal. Piccolo yanked both of their tails off and then gave them fresh new clothes. Nanake's hair went back up into buns and Piccolo turned and left.

Gohan yawned and stretched, sitting up the next day. He looked, puzzled, at the woman lying asleep next to him. He watched her sleep and poked her until she woke up.

Nanake blinked and sat up.

"Who... who are you?"

"My name's Gohan. What's your name?" Gohan chirped. 

Nanake blinked again and stared at him, blushing. She hadn't been around people for a long time... And even then she still hadn't got used to being around others.

Gohan repeated his name slower and extended his hand, still smiling,

"GO-HAN."

Nanake looked at his hand and then took it, smiling a little.

"Nanake... I'm Nanake..."

They shook hands laughing and then they both stood up... and fell over off-balance.

"HEY!" Gohan shouted, "MY TAIL'S GONE!!!"

"MINE TOO!" Nanake exclaimed.

"Huh. Well I wonder what happened to them then."

"Beats me."

"Oh well... You hungry Nanake? We should get some food..."

"Okay!" Nanake chirped.

Nanake and Gohan have finally met. They won't have to face to wilderness alone anymore, but will they become strong enough to defeat the two Saiyans coming to earth? Find out next time on DRAGON BALL Z!!!!


	4. The Saiyan and the Hybrid

The Saiyan and the Hybrid

Piccolo sought out Gohan and Nanake. He eventually found them together, giggling madly, running from a huge dinosaur.

"Catch me if you can!!!" Gohan shouted in a song-like, taunting manner.

"Hey dino! You're WAAAY too slow!" Nanake called back to the enraged and hungry dinosaur.

They laughed hysterically as they ran on.

Sooner or later, they lost the dinosaur after tricking it into running off a cliff, and they panted, laughing at the same time. Piccolo approached them then. They both looked up, startled at the character who's shadow loomed over them.

"What is your mission?" Piccolo ordered.

"To defend the Earth and defeat the Saiyans!" Gohan and Nanake shouted in unison.

"Very well. Come with me for your REAL training."

Weeks flew by and their training intensified...

Piccolo fired ki blast after ki blast at Gohan as he narrowly dodged them all. Nanake tried to sneak up behind Piccolo and attack, but he turned at the last second and blasted her off a cliff. She tumbled all the way down to the bottom.

Gohan sparred successfully with Piccolo until he stopped and smiled with his achievement.

"Good work, Gohan... BUT DON'T STOP!!!!!!!!!!" Piccolo roared as he sent Gohan off the cliff as well.

Just as Nanake was getting up, Gohan landed smack down hard on her back, slamming her back down in the dirt.

"PICCOLO!!!! I TAKE BACK ALL THE NICE THINGS I SAID ABOUT YOU!!! HERE I COME!!!" Gohan shouted before starting to climb up the cliff. He made it halfway and slid back down, unable to climb higher. Nanake was dusting herself off when he landed next to her.

"Gohan. Listen... Hang onto me and I'll fly us both up and we'll take him by surprise." Nanake said solemnly.

Piccolo, with his sensitive hearing, smirked atop the cliff.

"Surprise. Right."

"Get on my back." Nanake ordered. Gohan obeyed and they took off. Once she was three fourths of the way there, Piccolo appeared on the edge of the cliff. She screeched to a stop and gawked up at him as he smirked evilly down at the two of them.

"There'll be no easy way out!" Piccolo blasted Nanake hard in the gut, sending them both back down the cliff.

Nanake sat, wheezing and huddled up in a ball. Gohan glared up at Piccolo as he turned and walked out of vision. Gohan roared and started up the cliff once again.

After yet another long and hard day of training, the three fighters wound down next to a campfire for a well-deserved rest. For once, Gohan was the first to fall asleep. It was Nanake's turn to talk to Piccolo. Piccolo, thinking they were both asleep, stood up and walked over to the edge of the cliff. Nanake sat up in her blanket. She wrapped it around her and walked over to Piccolo.

"Piccolo?"

"Go to sleep Nanake. I want your full energy tomorrow. The Saiyans will be here any day now." He spoke without turning to her at all."

"I want to know more about the Saiyans. You fought one before... right?"

"Knowing about them isn't going to make you stronger, Nanake. Go back to sleep."

"Piccolo... I just-"

"GET OVER THERE AND GO BACK TO SLEEP! NOW!" He turned and roared at her.

Nanake took a step back, frightened. Piccolo turned his back on her once again and said nothing. There was a pause, and just as she was about to scamper back to the fire, he spoke a little more softly, but still his usually firm tone.

"The Saiyan I fought with Goku was strong. He knew several cheap tricks. You can't trust em. And the two coming are even worse. They'll stop at nothing to get what they want." He paused, and then said, "That's all I know."

"Thank you..." she said softly. She walked up to him cautiously and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Good night Master Piccolo..."

She went back fireside once again and curled up in her blankets to fall asleep. Piccolo blushed and growled angrily.

"What's this I'm feeling for those two? ...I don't like it." He glared into the night as the two by the fire slept peacefully.

As our heroes rest up after a hard day, evil draws near! The Saiyans are due any day! What horrors will they face? Find out next time on DRAGON BALL Z!!!!


	5. Impact

Impact

"DON'T JUST DODGE!! GET INSIDE!!!" Piccolo roared as he fired once again at Gohan. Gohan dodged it and leapt out of harms way as Nanake flew into the attack, smacking it away. She flew fast at him, ready to attack. Piccolo growled and sparred with her. She punched and kicked as if in a trance with a glare on her face. until Piccolo gave her an uppercut, giving her flight, and Gohan took the wheel. He punched at Piccolo, who blocked them successfully. 

"THAT'S IT! THAT'S THE WAY IT'S S'POSED TO BE DONE, GOHAN!"

He felt a smack in the back of his head and whirled around, kicking both Gohan and Nanake away as he charged at Nanake. Her eyes widened in surprised as she saw Piccolo charging at her. She stared, looking like a cat would about to be hit by a semi. He phased out and back in behind her. She followed his ki, snapping out of her trance and jumped up, dodging his attack from behind.

"KHAAAAAI!!!" She fired her first ki blast straight at Piccolo, who swung his fist at it, causing it to ricochet off his arm and fly at Gohan, who shrieked and dived out of the way.

"Very good, Nanake." Piccolo chuckled grimly, up at her, "You're becoming more Saiyan by the minute."

Nanake let out a sigh as her muscles relaxed a bit. Piccolo's featured hardened once again as he fired one of his own ki blasts straight at her, "BUT DON'T STOP!!!!!!"

"WAAAHHH!!!" Nanake took the hit and found herself eating sand a few seconds later. She sat up, coughing and spitting.

"PICCOLO! That wasn't FAIR!"

"Save it for the pity party in the underworld, coz that's where you'll be if you don't wise up.... and quick."

Two space pods zoomed through the Earth's atmosphere and crash-landed in a busy city, burying themselves deep in the ground, creating huge craters. The people cautiously looked into the craters with mixed emotions of curiosity, confusion, and fear.

The doors opened and two men walked out of their pods. One tall one and one short one. The tall on was bald and wore strange armor. He had a furry brown tail wrapped around his waist. The shorter one also wore strange armor, but with a more dignified touch, and he too had a tail wrapped around his waist. They rose out of their separate craters their pods created and landed next to each other. The shorter one snickered and looked around at his surroundings.

""Earth" was it? Promising..."

The bigger one smirked and replied as he looked around at the quivering citizens.

"We should greet the little insects..."

With the flick of his wrist, the large man leveled the entire city, destroying all life within it, creating a blast so big, you could have easily seen it in space!

Piccolo felt the two Saiyans' powers and grunted,

"They're here already!"

"What's that? What's that? Something's coming!" Nanake whispered, frightened as a huge glowing yellow light rushed towards them.

Gohan shouted as the after blast of the Saiyan's handiwork came rushing at them, causing everything around them to rumble.

Krillin hung onto a tree as the blast shook the island he was on.

"WHOA! WHAT ARE THEY DOING!??!?!

Tien and Chaotzu shielded their eyes from the yellow light that flooded the shaking desert.

"THEY'RE HERE CHAOTZU! LET'S GO!"

Yamcha growled after the rumbling stopped and hit the skies toward the enormous power he felt.

The two Saiyans floated above the leveled city, which now looked like an enormous sand trap.

"A little TOO warm a greeting, eh Vegeta?" the bigger one chuckled.

"End it there Nappa." The shorter one, Vegeta, growled, "You'll destroy the resale value of this dustball if you keep messing it up."

"Good point!" Nappa, the titan who leveled the city, said,"But before we sell it, we're gonna find those BALLS and get our WISH!"

""Dragon Balls." The one who killed Raditz will know where they are." Vegeta eyed Nappa malevolently, "And if it turns out that one of them just happened to be around HERE, we can forget our wish for immortality... ALL BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOU'RE STUPID GREETING!!!!"

"GAH! Sorry Vegeta! I wasn't thinking!" Nappa bowed his head immediately.

"Just shut up and search for the highest power reading on this planet..." Vegeta grunted as he clicked the button on his scouter, "He should be the one who annihilated Raditz."

Nappa ran his scouter as well, but came up with a rather confusing result.

"What's going on?! There are readings here over a thousand!!!More than one too! But HOW in a backwater like this?!"

"Don't worry about it." Vegeta snapped, "They're not our enemies. Just look for the one with the highest power reading."

He searched until he locked onto a small party not too far ahead.

"THERE. Three high readings! And close together too. Let's go pay our respects, Nappa." Vegeta smirked evilly as they both hit the skies.

"YEAH!" Nappa roared, "This is gonna be GREAT! The gravity's so low, I feel weightless!!!"

Nanake put on her scouter and pushed a button.

"Something's coming straight this way!!!"

Piccolo, enraged, whirled around and snatched the scouter right off Nanake's face.

"I THOUGHT I WEANED YOU OFF THAT THING!" He tossed it into a nearby bush.

Nanake didn't object, she only bowed her head respectfully in shame.

"I'm sorry Master Pic-"

"QUIET!" He snapped, silencing her, "The two Saiyan's are coming straight at us. Get READY!"

Gohan nodded, shivering a bit. Nanake nodded too. Piccolo glanced at Nanake's tail, swaying about her ankles.

"One more thing Nanake, wrap your tail around your waist. I don't want them to know you're a Saiyan."

"But why-"

"DO IT OR I'LL RIP IT OFF!!!"

Nanake obeyed and wrapped her tail around her waist, making it completely hidden under her poncho-like cape. Piccolo tossed his turban and cape aside.

"There's no need to be afraid, you two... We've all become stronger in this one year."

He looked at Gohan who nodded and then back at Nanake, who was still sulking from her verbal abuse.

"Shake it off, Nanake. There's no time for crying. This is it."

Nanake nodded and looked up in the sky as she felt a power coming closer. Piccolo felt it, and others too.

"What the hell?! There's a third power coming! And others all around!"

"But weren't there s'posed to be only TWO?!" Gohan shouted, looking around.

Krillin appeared in the air and landed not too far away from them.

"Hey... Long time no see, Piccolo." He smirked.

"And what have YOU come for, little man?" Piccolo chuckled, "Come to watch the REAL fighters?"

"Oh gimme a break!" Krillin scoffed, "I've been training for a year."

"You show slight improvement, I have to admit... are the other idiots coming too?" Piccolo grumbled.

"ALL of them... I was just the closest." Krillin smirked again. He noticed Nanake hiding behind Piccolo. He stepped closer, trying to get a better look at the petite stranger.

"Who are you?" He asked, puzzled.

Piccolo kicked her out of hiding.

"Knock it off! You don't have time to be a GIRL."

"Hey EASY, Piccolo!" Krillin knelt next to Nanake who was just starting to pick herself up, "What's your name?" He asked gently.

"...Nanake." She replied, blushing. He helped her up, with a friendly smile one his face. She smiled back a little too.

Gohan stepped closer to him and stated,

"I remember you! I saw you before that man took me away!"

"Uh huh! I'm Krillin." He smiled, "You look stronger... kinda how Goku looked when he was a kid."

"You're small but you're strong, huh? My dad used to tell me all about you!" Gohan chirped.

"Figures he'd lead with "SMALL" jus t because HE grew a little, the... he trailed off, grumbling.

"Are you going to FIGHT with us Krillin?" Gohan smiled.

"Yeah... but how bad was it you two..." He leaned in towards Nanake and Gohan, "Being trained by PICCOLO of all people?"

"Bad." They both said in unison.

"But he really wasn't as bad as people-" Gohan started, but Piccolo cut him off.

"The small talk is over. THEY'RE HERE."

They all looked up at the two warriors, Nappa and Vegeta. Nappa chuckled to his comrade,

"Heh. FOUR now."

"It seems they've been expecting us." Vegeta smirked as they slowly landed on the ground in front of the four defenders of the Earth.

Nanake stared at the two. The huge one was frightening enough, but the littler one, the one only a few inches taller than her, (not counting the hair,) the cold look he delivered made her tremble. She had a bad feeling about this fight.

"Have you been preparing for us?" Vegeta scoffed, chuckling a little.

"How did you guess?" Piccolo answered with sarcasm.

The two Saiyans, Nappa and Vegeta have landed on Earth. The action begins, next time on DRAGON BALL Z!!!!!


	6. The Saibamen

The Saibamen

Piccolo glared at the two evil Saiyans standing about twenty feet away. Nappa chuckled deeply as he eyed each and every one of the four fighters. Vegeta did too... and his gaze froze at Nanake for a moment, as he looked her up and down, chuckling evilly. He licked his lips and spoke to Nappa, not taking his eyes off of Nanake.

"Look Nappa... The best they could do was a green man, a midget, a baby and a little girl. How pathetic."

"Yeah... Heh heh..."

Piccolo growled,

"Let's make this clear... What exactly do you want here...?"

"Ah, that voice..." Vegeta smirked, looking at Piccolo, "It was YOU who killed Raditz, wasn't it?"

"Voice...?!" Piccolo's eyes widened in surprise and confusion.

"Didn't Raditz tell you?" Vegeta drawled, tapping his scouter, "This also serves as a transmitter."

Nappa stared long and hard at Piccolo until he was completely sure.

"He's a Namekian..."

"Looks like it..." Vegeta confirmed his partner, "Not so strange that Raditz was beaten then..."

"...Namekian...?" Piccolo repeated, confused. Then reality hit him and he began growling, angrily at the two Saiyans.

"...Piccolo... Y-You're an alien too...?!" Krillin gulped, "N-No wonder..."

"R-Really, Piccolo?" Gohan stared up at him.

"They say these slimy green gastropod guys possess strange powers even beyond their extraordinary fighting abilities... even SORCERY..." Vegeta continued, "You're the one who made those Dragon Balls... aren't you?!"

"You..." Krillin stammered, "You knew about the Dragon Balls?!"

"Dragon Balls...?" Nanake whispered, pondering to herself.

"Why else would we bother with this dump?!" Nappa roared at Krillin, "Hand them over!!!"

"Heh..." Piccolo smirked, "Thanks to you, I suddenly have a much better insight to my ancestry... But this is also my home... And no man, comes to another man's home, telling HIM what to do... You're out of line... We didn't come here to bow down to your demands, we're here..." Piccolo bared his teeth and stood in fighting stance, "To FIGHT! So go ahead and do whatever it is you came here to do!"

Vegeta smirked.

"I never did dream I was an alien..." Kami sweated, after hearing Vegeta's words, "I did wonder about the antennae, of course... It's odd... When I first created the Dragon Balls, long ago... I felt curiously nostalgic... some sort of racial memory, I suppose... Perhaps one of my ancestors on this Planet Namek had once made something like them..."

"If you won't GIVE us information on the Dragon Balls... We'll just have to BEAT them out of you!" Vegeta smirked.

Nappa read the four's power readings.

"Nine hundred eighty-one... twelve hundred twenty... ten hundred eighty-three... and the girl's at a thousand flat! Fools! D'ya think you'll stand a chance against us with power levels like THOSE?!"

"Nappa, take of your scouter." Vegeta ordered, smirking as he removed his own.

"Huh? Why?"

"These saps vary their powers to suit the battle. These figures are unreliable... and WORTHLESS."

His scouter dropped to the ground.

"Yeah... That's right..." Nappa snickered, taking his scouter off. "That weakling Raditz probably got himself KILLED because he depended on the scouter's readings--And got caught off guard."

He dropped his scouter, and it hit the ground lightly.

"Weakling...?" Piccolo muttered, seemingly nervous.

"I-isn't Raditz the guy who nearly clobbered you and Goku TOGETHER...?" Krillin asked Piccolo, starting to sweat. Piccolo remained silent. Krillin muttered to himself, chuckling nervously,

""Weakling," he says..."

"Why don't we see what they can really do? Then we'll ask them about the Dragon Balls again..." Vegeta smirked up at Nappa, "Hey Nappa... Weren't there seven seeds were Saibamen left?"

Nappa chuckled evilly down at Vegeta, "You like to play games, don't you, Vegeta?"

"Saibamen?" Nanake wondered aloud, "What are those?"

Vegeta smirked at the girlish woman who reeked of innocence. He found it interesting that something so gastly pure would be even a mediocre fighter.

Nanake felt his eyes on her and her eyes flew to meet his. She glared daggers at the short Saiyan, which almost surprised him.

"Scared?" He called to her as Nappa began planting the seven seeds.

"Of YOU?!" Nanake gritted her teeth, hiding her fear, "No way!"

"You will be..." Vegeta chuckled and took a step forward. Nanake automatically took a step back like a mecanical machine. He laughed out loud at her as the Saibamen began to sprout.

Screeching, short green men emerged from the soil. Their red eyes focused on the four fighters across from them.

Nanake screamed as they flew at them with great speed. Piccolo attacked two head on, as did Krillin. Gohan froze in fear and Nanake dodged punch after punch, flying into the air. Vegeta's eyes locked onto her. It had been a long time since he'd seen a woman fight. He hoped this one would suffice his hunger. He tingled all over hearing her cries and screams of pain, fear, frustration and desperation. Finally, Nanake locked her fists together and pummeled the Saibaman with one adrenaline pumped swing. She saw it disappear before it hit the ground and she looked around, nervously.

"Where did it go?"

"NANAKE! BEHIND YOU!!!" Gohan shouted.

Before she could turn around, the Saibaman knocked her out of the air and she landed hard on all fours. She turned over, whimpering and as tears snuck out of her eyes, she blasted the Saibaman until it fell to the ground, weak. She heaved, watching it twitch and start to get up and stagger. From right behind her, there came a slim beam that tore the Saibaman apart. She watched in horror as the Saibaman was quickly mutilated and reduced to a puddle of guts and anatomy. She slowly turned around to look up at Vegeta, smirking down at her cruelly. Everyone's eyes were on Nanake, and everyone was quiet. Suddenly Piccolo roared at her.

"NANAKE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! GET AWAY!!"

She bolted upward but Vegeta pushed her back down and held her there with a foot on her back. He pressed down on her back with his foot to hear her scream.

"AUUGH!!! PICCOLO HELP ME!"

A blast landed right in front of Nanake's face as Tien and Chaotzu landed next to Piccolo.

Vegeta smirked and thought,

("More toys for our game...")

He lifted his foot and snatched up Nanake just as Yamcha landed.

"How's about we all play a little game?" Vegeta sneered, tracing his fingers along Nanake's jaw line, "You fight our Saibamen one by one and if you win, you can have weeping willow here back, and if we win, whatever's left of you tell us where we can find the Dragon Balls."

"WE'RE NOT HERE TO PLAY GAMES!!! WE'LL TAKE YOU ALL ON, INCLUDING YOU TWO!!!! STOP BEING CHEAP AND LET THE KID GO!" Piccolo roared.

"Calm down Piccolo," Krillin murmured, "Goku has yet to arrive. And for the moment, Nanake is safe, so we can use this to our advantage and buy some time."

Piccolo remained silent and Yamcha spoke,

"I'm in. Anything to save something like THAT!" He whistled.

"Enough." Tien stepped forward, "I'll go first. Have at me."

Vegeta waved at one to attack and the brawl began. Tien blasted it away and zoomed at it. The Saibaman shot some green ooze from it's head, which, luckily, everyone dodged as it created a large hole wherever it landed. Tien flew fast at it again and beat it into a greasy pulp. The Saibaman laid weak on the ground and Vegeta smirked and whispered in Nanake's ear,

"It looks like your friends will be able to entertain us a little after all..."

The Saibamen have attacked and now the Saiyans have Nanake held captive? What does Vegeta have in store for Nanake's fate, and do Earth's heroes even have a prayer against the Saibamen OR Saiyans?! Find out next time on DRAGON BALL Z!!!!


	7. One Down

One Down

Tien walked back to the party as the Saibaman struggled to get up. 

"It's Impossible! The Saibaman's power is over 1200...!" Nappa growled, "Equal to Raditz, every one of them!"

"Ergo, that fellow's power is greater still." Vegeta smirked.

"But... Our data never showed..." Nappa trailed off as the Saibaman staggered to its feet.

Chaotzu yelled in fear and pointed behind Tien,

"TIEN! HE'S GETTING BACK UP!"

Before the green man could even think to attack Tien again, he was reduced to a pile of guts. Nanake looked up in terror at Vegeta, who was just lowering his hand from the attack.

Everybody gawked at the sight in confusion.

"V-Vegeta...Why...?!" Nappa stammered.

"The Earthling already had him beaten." Vegeta answered callously, "It would've been a waste of time."

He then turned to the remaining Saibamen and announced,

"Your comrade underestimated his foe... Didn't I tell him to go all-out?"

Piccolo glared at the Saiyans and thought to himself,

("Destroyed... with a gesture... what POWER!!")

("These guys are nuts!") Nanake shivered. She glanced up at Vegeta who had his attention turned to the Saibamen still. Only one hand was clamped on her shoulder... Only one. She knew it was now or never... it would be unwise to take this opportunity to escape. She ripped herself from his grasp and ran over to Piccolo, stumbling and almost falling most of the way.

"WHY YOU-!" Nappa roared and took a step to go after her.

"Nappa..." Vegeta drawled, putting an outstretched arm in his way to stop him, "let her go. Her time will come like all the others..."

"Yeah..." Nappa chuckled.

She knelt next to Piccolo, breathing heavily. Piccolo smirked and gave her hair a quick ruffle with his hand and then ordered,

"Get up kid. It's not over yet."

She nodded and stood up. It seemed like Yamcha appeared out of nowhere because suddenly he was at her side with an arm around her.

"Hey babe... you okay?" he asked, sounding concerned.

"Y-yes..." she blushed a little, "Who are you?"

"The name's Yamcha... and you are?" He drawled, leaning his face closer to hers.

"Nanake..." She answered, trying to lean back, confused.

"I'll fight my turn for you, Nanake."

"Uhm... okay..."

His lips pressed against hers and her eyes grew wide.

("What is he doing?")

"YAMCHA! THIS ISN'T THE TIME!" Piccolo roared angrily.

Yamcha let go of a blushing Nanake, who stayed stiff, still confused as to what had just happened.

Nappa and Vegeta howled with laughter.

After their fit of laughter had ended, Vegeta wiped a tear from his eye and sighed, catching his breath. After his breathing returned to normal, he smirked,

"Who'll be next?"  


"This time... hit with EVERYTHING!!" Nappa instructed the Saibamen.

Yamcha stepped up.

"Let ME do it. I'll teach them that playtime's over."

Krillen who had just reached Nanake's side started to object,

"Listen, Yamcha, I can..."

"The Dragon Balls have already restored you to life. You don't get another chance." He turned back to the enemy, "Now TRY me!"

"Ah." Vegeta chuckled, "A hot shot."

"Here ya go, Hot Lips! You asked for it!" Nappa laughed.

Yamcha and the Saibaman locked horned with a fury of fists. Soon they seemed to disappear to Gohan and Nanake's eyes.

"Wh-what the-?!" Nanake gasped, "Where are they?!"

"They DISAPPEARED!" Gohan shouted.

"They're moving at super speed IDIOTS!!" Piccolo growled at the two trainees, "Feel their ki! Everyone can see them but you!!"

Yamcha was beating the snot out of the little green man. And it wasn't long before the Saibaman was lying motionless in a crater made by Yamcha's Kamehameha wave.

"...Again..." Nappa murmured.

Yamcha landed next to the crater.

"These monsters aren't as fearsome as they look. I'll clean up the rest of them by myself."

Vegeta noticed the Saibaman's hand twitch and he smirked evilly at Yamcha.

"Heh heh... Seems it's your turn to under-estimate..."

"What?!" Yamcha questioned Vegeta. But seconds later, The Saibaman leapt up at Yamcha and wrapped it's arms and legs around him, binding his arms to his side. Yamcha struggled to get the slimy thing off him, but after a sickening smirk, the Saibaman self-destructed, killing Yamcha long with itself.

Nanake screamed and the others could only stare.

"Now THAT'S more like it." Vegeta chuckled.

"Kamikaze..." Piccolo murmured, "No way to defend..."

"YAMCHA!!!!!!" Krillin dashed to his comrade's side. He knelt next to Yamcha's body and searched for any signs of life...

"He's dead..." He murmured, "H-he knew this was going to happen... That's why he wouldn't let ME do it...! How am I gonna break this to Puar and Bulma?!"

"Settling for a DRAW?!!" Nappa roared at Vegeta, "This is PATHETIC!!!"

Vegeta ignored Nappa and called cruelly over to Krillin,

"Pick up your trash, little man!"

Krillin stood up and glared at Vegeta.

"Shut... your... MOUTH!!"

He yelled to his comrades in rage,

"GET BACK, ALL OF YOU!" He started to power up, "THIS is what I've been TRAININ' for!!"

He shot out a huge blast straight at the enemies.

"Tremendous power, but now speed!" Piccolo roared over great noise, "It's like a sign saying "Get Away!""

Krillin smirked and before it collided with Nappa and Vegeta, he spilt and directed the blasts at each and every Saibaman, blowing each one to pieces, and then finally then all turned and went straight towards Nappa and Vegeta.

Nappa and Vegeta looked up at the blasts coming straight for them. Vegeta smirked before impact.

The explosion was enormous, and Krillin smiled, breathing heavily,

"M-missed one..."

"Wow... WOW Krillin!" Nanake smiled at him. Krillin smiled back, almost blushing.

Just then, the stray Saibaman, mad with rage sped out of the cloud of dust and debris and at Gohan. before it could reach him, Piccolo snatched its arm...

"DIE!!"

...and blasted it to smithereens.

"Hoo boy..." Krillin stared.

"Well that's Piccolo for ya..." Tien smiled, "enjoy it while he's not our enemy..."

Gohan smiled happily up at Piccolo and said,

"Th-thank you Mr. Piccolo!"

"Don't misunderstand." Piccolo growled, "I wouldn't bother saving you... Except that I needed a warm-up for the great battle to come..."

Shadows from the dust spoke. The shorter one chuckled, and the bigger one said,

"I hope it WILL be a great battle..."

Everyone but Piccolo stared astounded as Nappa and Vegeta walked out of the cloud of dust as it settled.

"You DID say you wanted playtime to end, didn't you?" Vegeta chuckled.

"Now it's time for the REAL thing." Nappa laughed lowly.

"It's not possible... It didn't affect them at all..." Tien murmured in disbelief.  


"They must have taken it head-on..." Chaotzu shivered.

"B-but I... I used all my POWER...!!!" Krillin stared, "So this... is what SAIYANS are...!!"

Nanake glanced at Krillin and then back at Nappa and Vegeta in silence.

"Let me do it." Nappa suggested, "I'll kill all six at once."

"As you wish." Vegeta replied passively.

"Thanks for letting ME have the fun." Nappa chuckled and powered up.

"HYAAAA..."

"Th...The Earth..." Tien stuttered as the ground beneath them started to rumble and quake, "...The Earth's SHAKING!!!"

Piccolo gasped, staring, "I never thought it would be so much."

Nanake lost balance and fell over. Her cape fluttered up and Vegeta caught a slim sight of what he thought looked like a furry brown tail before the cape settled down again.

("It couldn't be...") He glared at her, thinking hard. He then smirked and licked his lips, ("But if it is, more fun for me.")

Nappa's power flared higher and higher.

"HERE IT **COMES**...!!!!!" Piccolo shouted.

Now Nappa's in the game and Vegeta has clues to Nanake's true identity. The team looks like they could be in for more than they bargained for... Will Goku make it back in time?! Find out next time on DRAGON BALL Z!!!!


	8. Nappa's Turn--Hope Runs Out

Nappa's Turn--Hope Runs Out!

The earth itself shook as Nappa's power skyrocketed.

"Okay..." he chuckled, "Who do I kill first?!"

He set his sights on Tien and roared as he dashed towards him.

"NOW!!!" Piccolo shouted.

Tien flew at Nappa with great speed. They fought valiantly and Piccolo commented to Nanake and Gohan, smirking as he watched Tien fight,

"You have to fight with brains, brawn, AND spirit to get the job done. Got it?"

"Yeah..." Gohan and Nanake nodded.

Nappa's huge arm came down on Tien's forearm, taking it completely off. Nanake screamed and covered her mouth as Tien's blood was spraying out of his huge wound. He cursed several profanities, holding what was left of his arm.

"TIEN!" Chaotzu screeched.

"Heh... Breakable." Vegeta replied, crossing his arms with a smirk.

Nappa swung his great fist up again to finish Tien off, when Tien flew up, powering up a ki blast in his remaining hand.

"You BASTARD!"

"HAH!" Nappa flew up after him and kicked him in the gut and then in the back before Tien even knew what was coming.

Tien struggled to get up on all fours. Nappa chuckled under his breath as he watched him try to get up,

"Stubborn vermin... He just won't die."

"What power..." Piccolo stared up at Nappa.

"What... what MONSTERS..." Nanake stammered.

"DAMN YOU!" Krillin roared as he ran towards Nappa.

"KRILLIN!" Nanake shouted, "DON'T!"

"HE'S TOO MUCH!" Gohan called after him.

Nappa howled with laughter as he powered up another attack,

"ATTA BOY!"

Krillin barely dodged the attack, and when the dust cleared, they looked at what must have been a bottomless pit.

"Holy cats, there's no BOTTOM to it..." Piccolo growled, staring down the hole.

"Oh my word..." Nanake peered into the gaping darkness, starting to feel sick.

Krillin looked around and noticed that someone was not here.

"CHAOTZU?! CHAOTZU!" He shouted, "Where IS he?! If... if he got caught in that... then..."

Tien looked up with a pale look on his face,

"Wh-What?!"

"Nappa! Behind you!" Vegeta shouted annoyed at Nappa.

"Huh?" Nappa grunted completely clueless as Chaotzu flew right behind him and latched onto his back like a parasite.

"CHAOTZU!!!" Krillin gritted his teeth.

Nappa was struggling, trying to get the tiny one off of him, but couldn't reach him, no matter how hard he tried.

"Th-This little... NNGH!"

"What are you trying to DO?!" Tien screamed up at his small friend, "GET OUT OF THERE!"

"Goodbye Tien..." Choatzu's voice spoke in Tien's mind through telepathy, "Save yourself."

"Y-you can't... wait..." Tien choked, almost crying.

Choatzu smiled tearfully down at his friend.

"CHOATZU! DON'T!" Tien screamed, extending his remaining hand up to his beloved friend before Chaotzu had preformed his deed.

There was an enormous explosion as Chaotzu self-destructed.

"Ch...Chaotzu...CHOATZU!" Tien fought to keep from crying as he screamed his friend's name.

"Oh my God..." Nanake murmured.

"So... Blew himself up to take out an opponent..." Piccolo grinned, "He's won MY respect..."

Nanake's eyes flew to the sky where the explosion had occurred to see Nappa still floating there when the dust settled... unscratched.

"But how...?!" She squeaked.

"Heh heh heh... What a waste..." Nappa chuckled, "You still just don't GET it, do you...?"

Goku dashed in a break-neck run along snake-way.

"Blast it!" He said through gritted teeth, "It's taking too LONG...!!!"

"All right... First three-eyes, then the runt!" Nappa laughed, "Don't worry, you'll ALL get your turn.....!!"

"S-s-s'not possible...! I-it didn't even faze 'im...!" Krillin stuttered, steeping backward, "Chaotzu gave his life... for nothin'...!!"

"The Dragon Balls... already restored his life once..." Tien clenched his fist in rage, "He can never come back... EVER again!!"

"LUCKILY, YOU'LL SEE HIM SOON--**IN HELL!!**" Nappa taunted, shouting down at Tien.

"You'll PAY for this...!!!!" Tien growled lowly.

Piccolo muttered to Krillin, Gohan and Nanake, "Listen... in the instant he moves to attack... he's open. We'll use that instant."

Vegeta, with his sensitive hearing, picked up every word and chuckled, "Hey! That's a good plan. I hope it works." He drawled.

Piccolo turned and stared at him speechless. Vegeta smirked,

"Don't look at me... You'll miss your instant."

Piccolo smirked back at him,

"So confident... I hope to see your face when Goku arrives..."

Vegeta's interest rose as his smirk grew broader, "Oh? And who's that? Your secret weapon?"

Piccolo whirled back around as Nappa began to attack Tien once again.  
"NOW!!" he roared.

Krillin blasted off with Piccolo and Gohan just stared trembling. Nanake pondered what she could do to help, and floated upward.

"COME AT ME!!!" Tien roared up at Nappa, powering up.

"NOW DIE!!!!!" Nappa howled with evil laughter, closing in on Tien. Suddenly, Piccolo appeared next to him. Nappa had a look of surprise on his face. Tien stopped charging and gritted his teeth, also surprised,

"WHAT?!!"

Piccolo socked Nappa one right across the jaw, sending him sailing toward Krillin. Krillin pummeled him with his fists adjoined, sending him Nanake's direction. Nanake froze for an instant but then moved out of the way, kicking him in the gut as she did, and Nappa sailed on towards the shivering little boy.

"GOHAN, **NOW!!!!!**"Piccolo roared, "**FIRE!!!!**" He looked down at Gohan, trembling with fear. "**GO--HAN!!!!!**"

"B-but... I'm scared~~~!!!!" Gohan wailed.

Krillin could only stare down at Gohan in disbelief as Piccolo roared enraged, "**COWARD!!!**"

"WE gotta do it!" Krillin shouted, powering up his Kamehameha wave.

"DAMN!!!!!" Piccolo shot a huge spirally blast straight at Nappa and Krillin released the Kamehameha wave. Nappa growled and flipped out of the way.

"You think you're going to get away with THAT?!" He roared angrily, "I'll kill you all at once!"

Nanake floated backward, stuttering vowels in horror.

Tien glared up and quickly powered up again, "Chaotzu... I'll avenge you." He smirked a little, "Then I'll JOIN you... We'll never be apart..."

He gathered every last bit of energy he had left in his entire body and pulled it into his final attack. And with a push of his remaining arm, he shouted, hurling his last chance up at Nappa, 

"**CHI KUNG BLAST!!!!!**"

At the last moment, Nappa saw it coming before he was engulfed by light. Piccolo stared wide-eyed into the blast as Krillin shielded his eyes. Vegeta stared up, surprised. Nanake tumbled backward in the air from the wind. She landed flat on her stomach, clinging to the ground for her life, squeezing her eyes shut. Gohan was taking shelter behind a rock. 

Tien opened his eyes after it was all over, waiting for the dust to clear to see if he had succeeded.

Nappa emerged from the cloud of dust, barely scratched.

"Phew!" ne chuckled, "Don't SCARE me like that!"

"He's... a MONSTER!" Krillin stammered. Nanake could only stare up at Nappa, her jaw dropped with a look of helplessness and disbelief on her face.

Tien dropped to the ground and breathed his final words...

"I... I... Failed..."

And then he was gone...

Vegeta gave an apathetic chuckle,

"He fought like a man..." He smirked, "And died like a dog..."

Krillin went berserk and shouted up to the sky,

"**GO--KUUU!!!! WHY AREN'T YOU HERE?!**"

Now it's only down to four, which obviously isn't enough! Will our heroes survive until Goku arrives? Find out next time, on DRAGON BALL Z?!


	9. Three Hours... Hurry Back Goku!

****

Three Hours... Hurry Back Goku!

Nappa chuckled at the four staring at Tien's body.

"Im-impossible..." Piccolo stammered, looking back up at Nappa, "Is he immortal?"

Krillin and Gohan stuttered vowels at Tien who lied motionless on the ground. Dead. Nanake looked away, closing her eyes and flinching back the tears.

"They're... They're monsters... MONSTERS."

"Th-this can't be happening..." Krillin spoke through gritted teeth, his whole body, straining with rage and sorrow, "It's like a nightmare... I-I can't believe that Tien... ALL of them... One after the other... Dying..."

"**_GOKUUUUUU! HURRY UP! WE NEED YOU!!!!!!!!!!_**" Krillin roared in a fit of rage.

Vegeta looked up at Krillin in wonder, muttering to himself,

"'Goku"...? This isn't the first time they've... ...Wait..."

"Heh... Another one down..." Nappa chuckled at them, "Now it's YOUR turn..."

Piccolo and Krillin glared at him. Nanake gasped and involuntarily floated backwards a bit. Nappa smirked and continued,

"Although I'll let the Namek called Piccolo live... More or less... So he can tell us more about the Dragon Balls..."

"Lucky you, Piccolo..." Krillin muttered, "They think you're the only one who knows about the Dragon Balls..."

"Psh. It won't matter." Piccolo replied, "They plan to kill us all anyway..."

Krillin smiled a little, still looking ahead at Nappa,

"But listen... I'm glad you're on our side... even if it was temporary. I never thought this would happen..."

"So how much confidence do you have that you'll win?" Nanake asked him.

Piccolo gritted his teeth angrilly,

"None. ...I never dreamed there was such power. They far outstrip the Saiyan who came before."

Nanake bowed her head,

"Then..."

"Then this is... Really it..." Krillin finished for her.

Nanake squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back tears as one escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek. Her voice choked with a tiny sob,

"No..."

"Listen you two... We have to fight him on the ground!" Piccolo growled, "He's too accustomed to aerial combat!"

"Wherever you want..." Nappa drawled, "It'll be the same result."

Piccolo, Krillin and Nanake flew to the ground. The second they touched down, Nappa zoomed down towards them. Nanake screamed, staring up at him with pure authentic fear, Gohan covered his eyes and Piccolo and Krillin just stared, as doom came fast. They thought the end had come, until Vegeta's voice rang out like a bell,

"**NAPPA--WAIT!!!!!**"

Nappa cringed and skid to a stop in mid-air. All eyes were on Vegeta.

"What's wrong with you Vegeta...?!" Nappa eyed his comrade suspiciously, "All I have to do is..."

Gohan gulped.

"Don't be in such hurry, that's all." Vegeta smirked, "I want to ask them something..."

He looked at the four defenders and spoke again with a vile smirk on his face.

"This "Son Goku" you keep mentioning is Kakarrot... Isn't it? Am I right?"

"Y-yeah... so what?" Krillin glared at him.

"Well, well. Then he really did come back to life with the Dragon Balls, just as we heard... But..." Vegeta laughed, "Kakarrot is your only hope?!"

Nanake glared at him,

"What's so funny?!"

"That you think Kakarrot can beat us! What good will he be if he wasn't even a match for Raditz?" He smirked at her.

"He should be different from before... NO!!! He WILL be different! More powerful than EVER BEFORE!!!" Krillin shouted, clenching a fist.

"Son Goku is a bad one to underestimate..." Piccolo growled warningly.

"WA HA HA! Then where is he?" Nappa roared with laughter, "Maybe he's not coming back... coz he's SCARED!!!!"

"HE'LL COME!!! DADDY'LL COME BACK AND HE'LL BEAT YOU GUYS UP!!" Gohan leaped out of hiding and shouted angrilly.

"Heh heh... Such faith..." Vegeta chuckled, "Touching. All right, then. We'll wait until he comes."

Nanake's eyes widened and she whispered,  
"What?!"

"What?! Vegeta you're joking! He's NEVER going to come!" Nappa whined, "Let's just finish them off NOW!"

Vegeta smirked to his comrade and held up three fingers.

"We'll wait for three hours..." He flashed an evil grin at Krillin, "...and no longer." He smirked at Nanake. "Three."

"THREE HOURS!!!" Nappa shouted in a tantrum, "WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO FOR THREE HOURS?! I'VE BEEN IN SUSPENDED ANIMATION FOR TOO LONG! MY BODY CRAVES SOME **ACTION**!!!!!! TO **HELL** WITH **WAITING**!!!!!!!" Nappa blasted off towards them again. Nanake screamed as a fist came rushing towards her face. She squeezed her eyes shut.

"**NAPPA!!!!! DO WHAT I SAY!!!!!**" Vegeta roared, enraged. Nappa screeched to a halt once again.

"S...Sorry... I... got carried away..."

Nanake opened her eyes and staggered vowels in a high pitched voice as she saw Nappa's fist, a full inch in front of her face.

"...Well... There you go." Vegeta snickered, "Three extra hours of life. Enjoy them."

"I'm... I'm sorry... But I got so s-scared..." Gohan whimpered to Piccolo.

"Away with you then! We have no use for a coward." Piccolo growled lowly at him, "I was a fool to expect so much."

"Hey... take it easy on him Piccolo... It's only his first fight." Krillin butted in.

"Just go home." Piccolo turned away from Gohan. Gohan sniffled and started to walk away.

"I still don't get it... Why do we want to wait for Kakarrot?" Nappa asked.

"Because he's a traitor to all Saiyans. A traaitor deserves to see his son and friends die before his eyes..." Vegeta grinned callously, putting on his scouter and setting a timer, "Deserves to feel how powerless he is... How much agony we can inflict... Until, after three or four hours... heh... he'll beg us to send him to hell."

"Ha! Great! I should've had more faith in you!" Nappa laughed.

"That's IF he shows up in three hours..."

"You can have Kakarrot, but let me do those four!" Nappa clenched his fists excitedly.

"Do whichever you want... But AFTER we make the Namek talk about the Dragon Balls." Vegeta crossed his arms with a smirk.

"Mmm... I hope he shows up..." Nappa chuckled and then caught Gohan walking away out of the corner of his eye. He chuckled evilly, sending a beam right in front of Gohan's nose and blasting a large rock by him.

"GOHAN!" Nanake flew in front of him protectively.

Nappa howled in laughter at her.

"Oooo! I'm so SCARED of the little girl!"

"You said THREE HOURS you ASSHOLE!" She spread her arms out wide, making herself a barrier in front of Gohan.

"Aw I wasn't gonna KILL him, wench!"

"Makes no difference! How can you pick on a little boy like that when he's been through this much HELL you BASTARD!"

"Heh..." Nappa smirked as he lit fire in his hand and shouted before throwing it straight at her, "C'MON BABY LIGHT MY FIRE!!!!!!"

The fire ball landed on her cape, setting it aflame. Nanake shrieked in alarm as Nappa and Vegeta roared with laughter. Nanake freaked out, jumping around until she flung her cape off and to the ground. The laughter immediately stopped after that. Nanake sat on the ground bawling,

"WAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! YOU LIT ME ON FIRE! THAT WASN'T FAIR!" Her bawling quieted to sniffles as she looked at Nappa and Vegeta staring wide-eyed and slack-jawed at her. She gasped and scooted away a bit, confused as to why they were staring at her like that.

"NANAKE!" Piccolo roared angrilly, "IT'S YOUR TAIL! THEY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE NOW!!!"

She let out a small whimper as she saw her tail beside her, shivering. She picked it up in her hands and shoved it behind her. Vegeta broke out in a fit a evil laughter. Nanake stared at him full of fear. She didn't know what to expect now. Was she to die a worse death than her friends because she was supposedly a traitor? But they knew Gohan was a Saiyan, why wasn't he being killed gruesomely because he was too?

"Well well well, what have we here..." Vegeta chuckled, "It's looks like a Saiyan... and a female too. What do you think, Nappa?"

Nappa grinned maliciously at her.

"C'mere..."

Nanake staggered vowels as Nappa slowly walked over to her, each step, thundering like her heart in her chest. She scooted backwards shaking horribley. She shrieked and shot several blasts at him. Nappa chuckled and walked right through them. He yanked her up by the arm and she screamed, kicking him in the stomach with all her might,

"N-NOO! NO PLEASE!"

Piccolo blasted Nappa square in the back as he turned, walking back to Vegeta. He turned back with a growl at the Namek.

"You said three hours. Put her down. Now."

Nappa chuckled and tossed her aside and she fled over to Piccolo and Krillin, falling onto her knees, weeping.

"I don't wanna die... I don't wanna die today..."

"Nanake..." Krillin put a hand on her shoulder, "You won't die today... Goku will come. He will."

She shrugged his hand off and flew to the top of a rock pillar that was in between the Saiyans and Earth's defenders. She sat up there and hugged her knees, quietly sobbing. Krillin sighed and floated up to her. He sat by her side. Nanake looked up and began to sing gently,

__

"Where do we go from here?

This isn't where we intended to be...

We had it all, you believed in me

I believed in you

Certainties disappear

What do we do for our dream to survive?

How do we keep all our passions alive

As we used to do?

Deep in my heart I'm concealing

Things that I'm longing to say.

Scared to confess what I'm feeling

Frightened you'll slip away...

You must love me...

You must love me...

You must love me..."

Vegeta looked up at her atop the pillar, raising an eyebrow at the emotional, frightened girl. Krillin held her quietly as she sang. 

__

"Why are you at my side?

How can I be any use to you now?

Give me a chance, and I'll let you see how

Nothing has changed.

Deep in my heart I'm concealing

Things that I'm longing to say.

Scared to confess what I'm feeling...

Frightened you'll slip away...

You must love me...

You must love me..."

Krillin sat next to her cradling her from side to side, hushing the tears that fell after her song.

"That was very beautiful Nanake... If we live through this, you should sing more."

Nanake sniffled in his arms, feeling comfert in them, though not knowing why. She smiled a bit and held his arms. He seemed taller than he looked from the outside.

"Thank you Krillin. I'd like to be alone right now..."

Krillin smiled and nodded to her. He floated down to Piccolo. They looked up at Nanake, who sat humming her own tune.

Vegeta smirked and flew up to her. Krillin and Piccolo lurched forward,

"NANAKE!"

Nanake looked up at him like a deer caught in headlights.

"Please, allow me to apologize for my behavior earlier. That was inappropriate of me."

"EAH?!" Nanake squeaked, inching away.

"Here... let me help you..." He extended a hand to help her up. She looked at his hand and then up into his eyes. His eyes had a sort of glint in them. An evil glint that she didn't like. She bit her fear and scowled at him, which almost caught him off-guard. She backflipped off the pillar's cliff and fell headfirst toward the ground.

"SHIT! NAPPA CATCH HER! SHE'S SUICIDAL!" Vegeta roared, veins popping out of his forehead.

Before Nappa reached her, she did a flip in the air again with her leg extended, kicking Nappa in the side of his head, floating upwards again. Nappa glared up at her and charged a ki blast. He hurled it at her and she crossed her arms in an "X" over her face and screamed. Before impact, Vegeta phazed in right in front of her and smacked it away.

"Nappa! Three hours. Don't forget." He turned and glared at Nanake who was just coming out of defence stance, breathing heavily and trembling, "That means you too. I trust you want to keep your end of the deal if your friends want the extra three hours of life."

"I'm not taking orders from YOU, you MONSTER!"

He backhanded her, sending her straight to the ground, cringing and straining. Nappa and Vegeta floated to where they sat earlier and waited once again.

Nanake sat up, straining, with an eye shut, getting swollen. She had a smirk on her face as Krillin, Piccolo and Gohan stood by her side. She flopped back down on her back with a smiles and used her healing powers she had discovered during training. Vegeta glared at her as she sat back up, completely healed, but a little exhausted.

("She's very gutsy for how weak she is and how strong we are... She'd better strengthen up for what I'M gonna do to her...") He scowled at her, clenching a fist.

Nanake rested up for 


	10. Piccolo's Last Stand

****

Piccolo's Last Stand

"Three valuable hours... wasted." Vegeta smirked, taking his scouter off, "But of course the traitor would also be a coward..."

"M-my daddy's not a coward!!" Gohan shouted.

"Then where is he...?" Krillin glared at Nappa and Vegeta, muttering. His forehead began to sweat.

"Why isn't he coming?!"

Nappa took one step forward, cracking his knuckles, chuckling,

"Finally... It's PAIN time... I'm just sorry Kakarrot isn't here to see it."

Nanake gulped and took a step back.

"So it's time to die, huh...?" Krillin gave a weak smile, "Feel like I'm a fucking Kamikaze... Damn it..."

"Nappa." Vegeta spoke to his comrade, "Remember to keep the Namek and the girl alive as well. We could use her in the hunt."

"Gosh Vegeta... I thought she was a traitor like Kakarrot." Nappa mumbled a bit confused.

"Traitor or not, she's still quite valuable, don't you think?" He smirked. Nappa caught on and smirked himself,

"Right. I get it now. You can count on me." He turned back to the four fighters, grinning evilly.

"Without Son Goku here, we have one last chance." Piccolo spoke to his comrades, "Although it's a long shot..." He turned to Krillin, "Listen clearly... Krillin, was it? You draw his attention while I go for the Saiyan's only weakness... the tail."

Nanake shivered and wrapped her tail around her waist.

"...Oh yeah...!" Krillin nodded.

"Once I have him powerless... then, Gohan and Nanake, you two strike with all you've got! Understand?"

Gohan gulped and nodded shakily,

"This time... I w-won't run away... I pr-promise...!"

"See that you don't." Piccolo glared ahead, "Consider Earth's fate to be in your hands."

Nappa chuckled at the four planning.

*ZING!*

Kami's senses perked up.

"It's GOKU! HE'S CLOSE!"

*ZING!*

"Goku's almost there!" King Kai gritted his teeth anxiously, "Such unbelievable speed!"

*ZING!*

Goku skid to a stop into the lobby where King Yamma sat at his desk. Kami appeared and shouted at him,

"GOKU!"

"KAMI!"

"GRAB HOLD! HURRY!"

"THANKS!" Goku grabbed ahold of Kami's arm and they zapped to Kami's lookout. Goku panted, being out of breath and held a thumb up,

"The training went well! Now I'm off!"

"You're our only hope!" Kami spoke hurriedly.

"Good luck Son Goku!" Mr. Popo clenched his fists.

Goku rushed off the lookout and recieved two Senzu beans from Korin, the cat who lived in Korin's Tower. After he ate his, he called his flying golden cloud,

"NIMBUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUS!!!!"

He rushed off to where the others were.

"OKAY! HERE GOES!" Krillin shouted as he charged at Nappa.

"Eager for DEATH are you?!" Nappa laughed as he prepared himself to swat Krillin's attack away.

"They must have a plan..." Vegeta snickered to himself.

("Draw his attention......!!!!!!") Piccolo grit his teeth, watching.

Krillin blasted ki to the ground, shooting himself upward. Nappa watched completely confused as to what was going on.

"NOW!!" Piccolo shouted and phased out and back in behind him, gripping his tail. "GOHAAAANN!! NANAKE!!!! NOWW!"

Gohan and Nanake rushed fast at Nappa, powering up.

"**WE DID IT!**" Krillin cheered, up in the air.

"FOOLS!!" Nappa roared and brought his elbow down hard on Piccolo's head. Gohan and Nanake shrieked and tried skidding to a stop. Gohan succeeded, while Nanake who had picked up great speed, couldn't stop and flipped clear over Nappa and tumbled across the ground until she hit Vegeta's legs like a bird hitting a tree. She looked up and gasped wide-eyed. Before she could move, he had already snatched her up and put her in a painful headlock. She screamed loud.

"It... can't be..." Piccolo stuttered, losing consciousness.

"Hey! Don't die yet!" Nappa shook him, hanging onto the back of his shirt, "We still have to ask you about the dragon balls."

"N...No..." Krillin shook violently as their last hope was just crushed, "Please... No..."

"What fools do you take us for?!" Vegeta snickered in Nanake's ear, "Did you think we wouldn't protect against such a WEAKNESS?!"

"W-we'll beat you SOMEHOW!" Nanake growled through grit teeth and strained sobs as she quivered in the pain of his headlock.

"I look forward to it." Vegeta purred, blowing in her ear, making her tremble and bite her lip.

Nappa dropped Piccolo to the ground and smirked,

"I can't play with him anymore... How about YOU, kid?"

He grinned evilly at Gohan.

"You're got Saiyan blood in you... You can give me a real fight, can't ya?" He chuckled, looming over him, "Heh... What a father you've got... Leaving his little boy... to DIE..."

He kicked Gohan in the gut with his massive foot, sending him flying. He quickly followed, backhanding him, sending him straight into the wall of a cliff.

"GOHAN!" Nanake shrieked, struggling even more, trying to overcome the immense pain, "STOP IT! He's just a little boy!"

Nappa laughed at Gohan who lied motionless on the ground,

"Hey! Don't die yet! I wanna play!"

Gohan slowly and shakily stood up and Nappa chuckled grimly,

"Good boy...fight like a Saiyan..." He took off in a split second and charged, roaring, "AND **DIE** LIKE ONE!!!"

"DAMN YOU!!!" Krillin shouted, kicking him in the face, intercepting the bull on the rampage and swung a lucky uppercut, then punched him, sending him flying, which he persued instantly. Nappa regained control and tried swinging a punch at him, but Krillin skillfully flew out of the way in the knick of time, backflipping away and landing on his feet. Nappa skid to a stop and glared at the little man. Vegeta chuckled and loosened his grip a little on the headlock he had Nanake in.

"Hm! He can move at least."

"Stand still and FIGHT!" Nappa roared, charging at Krillin. Krillin shot his right arm in the air, palm upward. He grunted and a huge, glowing, round, flat light with jagged edges spun above his hand.

"DESTRUCTO DISK! ENGAGE!" He hurled it straight at Nappa.

"Eh?!" Nappa stopped and watched this disk swirl towards him. He chuckled and said, "Parlor tricks!" He stood with open arms, ready to take the seemingly weak shot.

"Nappa---DUCK!!!" Vegeta roared angrilly at him.

Nappa turned, wide-eyed and back just in time to move his head, missing the disk with it only grazing his cheek. The disk traveled on, chopping several cliffs and pillars in half, buzzing along on its merry little way.

"Use your HEAD, Idiot!" Vegeta grumbled through grit teeth. Nanake stared wide-eyed and stammered,

"That could have... oh my God..."

"Damn......!" Krillin scowled.

Nappa stared at the fine cut on his cheek with blood dripping from it. He growled at Krillin, powering up an emense attack,

"You... little... shit! You CUT me!"

"Uh-oh..." Krillin muttered.

"I'M REALLY GONNA **LIKE THIS**!!!!!" He zoomed towards Krillin, with his attack charged, making his entire arm look aflame. He hurled his attack straight at him, and Krillin dodged in the instant before it hit. The attack exploded on the ground he once stood on, and he still got the intense afterburn of it all. Nappa smirked up at him,

"ONE MORE BLOW!!!!"

Before he could throw another attack at Krillin, Piccolo hurled an attack of his own, hitting Nappa hard in the back. Nappa howled in surprised pain and whirled around, growling. Krillin hit the ground with a thud and didn't move.

"It can't be!" Nappa growled lowly at Piccolo, "You're a lot tougher than you look!"

"BWAA HA HA!" Vegeta burst into a fit of laughter, "Having trouble there Nappa?!"

Nanake smiled at Piccolo, hope returning once again.

"The EARTH..." Piccolo growled through grit teeth and a clenched a fist, with veins popping out of his forehead, "...doesn't go down easily...!!"

"YOU STUPID FREAK!" Nappa shouted, "Now you've made me mad! I took it easy on you because we want you to tell us where the dragon balls are!! But NOW...!!!"

Piccolo's senses shrieked and his eyes widened. He looked around, shouting, an almost fearful look on his face,

"Wh-what?! What do I feel...?! A tremendous POWER... approaching from afar...!!"

Vegeta glared suspiciously as Gohan brightened up and smiled happily,

"I feel it too... It's... it's HUGE... But it's familiar!!"

Nanake gasped and whispered more to herself than anyone else,

"I can feel it too... Who is it...?"

Vegeta heard her words, and hurled her to the ground, hissing,

"SHUT up." He pressed his foot down on her back again, keeping her on the ground.

"You're tricks are getting tiring..." Nappa grumbled.

"At last..." Piccolo chuckled lowly and evilly, "IT'S **HIM**!"

His chuckling grew into a triumphant roar,

"It's SON GOKU!!! He's COMING!!! I should have known that fool would make us wait!!!"

Gohan jumped up and down cheering,

"Daddy!!! Daddy's coming! He's really coming... Hurry!! HURRY!!!"

Nappa growled angrilly with disbelief,

"Kakarrot?! Where?! I don't see anybody!!!"

Vegeta scoffed, keeping his boot firmly down on Nanake's back, securing her where she lay as he picked up his scouter,

"They seem to have the power to detect power levels... feh."

He placed the scouter over his ear and activated it,

"Let's see then..."

*ZING!*

Goku soared quickly upon Nimbus, searching for power levels.

"Two BIG ones... two even BIGGER ones... and two SMALL!!!" His scowl deepened frantically, "It's not ENOUGH!!! Please don't let anyone be DEAD!!!"

He shouted at the top of his lungs to his cloud friend,

"FASTER Nimbus... FLY **FASTER**!!!!"

*ZING!*

Vegeta read the reading on the scouter and froze, wide-eyed. Nanake peeked up at his face and narrowed her eyes suspiciously before daring to smile and hope. She closed her eyes and whispered to herself,

"Yes..."

"Vegeta! Are they telling the truth?!" Nappa called over to him, chuckling, "I HOPE they are... heh heh heh...!!"

Looking in the direction of the reading, Vegeta growled and clenched his fists,

"I don't know if it's really Kakarrot... But he'll be here in four minutes..." He paused and turned to Nappa, "...with a power level... of 5000!!"

".....**5000**.....?!" Nappa exclaimed in shock, "Th...That's impossible...! I-It has to be a mistake..."

Scowling, Vegeta thought to himself,

("It may be. These fools seem to be able to VARY their power. Meaning... 5000 could just be for STARTERS...!"

Piccolo smirked and taunted in Nappa's direction,

"Heh... I think your partner's actually WORRIED...!!"

"**NAPPA**!" Vegeta suddenly exploded, "Kill those two **NOW**!!!" He pointed at Gohan and Piccolo, thinking Krillin was dead since he wasn't moving.

Nanake gasped wide-eyed.

"Their HELP could actually make Kakarrot a challenge..." Vegeta clenched a fist, "...But their CORPSES might well shake him up!!"

"**_WHAT _**?!" Piccolo's eyes widened, shocked.

Gohan gasped, shivering, feeling numb all over.

"B-but what about the Dragon Balls?!" Nappa hollered,

"FORGET ABOUT THE DRAGON BALLS!!!" Vegeta snarled, shouting back, "We don't NEED them!"

He smirked, and informed his comrade of an alternative,

"I never believed the legend of the Namekian power spheres... but if Kakarrot's really returned from the dead, then it's TRUE!!! That means there must be MORE balls on this fool's home planet. A little rampage through NAMEK would be a lovely way to wind down after the destruction of EARTH, hmm?"

Krillin opened his eyes after hearing this and cringed in anger, still motionless.

"I still say your scouter's busted... Kakarrot can't be anywhere near 5000..." Nappa grumbled, "But it's a good enough excuse to start the killing..."

Gohan growled and then shouted over to Piccolo,

"PICCOLO! You've got to RUN!!! I'll hold 'em somehow 'til daddy comes!! If you die, then the Earth-God Kami will die... and then the Dragon Balls will be gone forever!!!"

"Psh." Piccolo scoffed with a smirk, "Don't be stupid boy.... You can't hold them on your own."

"Something really bad is about to happen... I can feel it..." Krillin stammered, "An' I can't move... can't stop it... can't do anything!!!"

"So... the little rat's going to hold me, eh...?" Nappa chuckled before exploding into a mad rage, blasting towards him, "DON'T MAKE ME **LAUGH**!!!!"

"GOHAN!!!!" Piccolo shouted, chasing Nappa, who was laughing as he closed in on Gohan. Gohan hissed and shouted angrilly as he jumped at Nappa, kicking him hard across the face. Piccolo barely moved aside as Nappa was kicked right by him and into the wall of a cliff. Vegeta scowled, watching this as Nanake cackled beneath his foot,

"Ha HA! Alright Gohan!"

The cliff crumbled and there was silence for a few seconds until Nappa burst through the rocky rubble, roaring with rage. Gohan, Piccolo and Nanake gasped int shock and fear as Nappa sumersaulted to the ground a hundred yards away from the two still standing. His eyes twitched as his voice rumbled,

"...**NOW**...!!! I'VE HAD **_ENOUGH_**...!!!! He powered an emense attack up and swung his flaming fist back to throw it at Gohan. Gohan, stammered vowels, while Piccolo and Nanake stared wide-eyed and speechless.

"**_DIE!!!!!_**" Nappa roared insanely and hurled the attack straight at Gohan. Nanake shrieked as Vegeta snatched her up with a smirk and flew high in the air out of the way of the afterburn,

"**NOO**!! **_GOHAN_**!!!" She screamed trying to reach an arm out to him, while the other tried to free herself.

Gohan stood numbly, too afraid to even think to move. Piccolo ran as fast as he possibley could and skid to a stop in front of Gohan. Krillin, Gohan and Nanake watched wide-eyed as Piccolo howled in pain, shielding Gohan completely from the attack. After it was over and the smoke cleared, Piccolo glared at Nappa while he spoke hoarsely to Gohan,

"G-Gohan... Run..." He then fell forward, motionless.

Gohan gasped and crawled to his side, turning him over,

"Piccolo... W-why did you save me...?"

Piccolo opened an eye and choked out,

"I told you... to run... H...hurry..."

"PICCOLO! Don't die! Daddy'll come soon! Please... PLEASE DON'T DIE!" Gohan sobbed.

*ZING!*

"One of the powers if fading!" Goku shouted, "Someone's dying!"

*ZING!*

Kami huffed, feeling weaker and weaker,

"It seems... that Goku didn't make it in time..."

*ZING!*

Piccolo smirked and looked up at the sky,

"Oh the shame... Piccolo... the great... the incorruptible evil..." he chuckled, "...saving a child... how pathetic..."

He turned his head to Gohan, sniffling beside him,

"It's because of you... that girl... and your dad... y-your softness infecting me..." he smiled a little, "But you know, boy... you and that girl...were the only ones to ever really talk to me..." A few tears dwelled up in his eyes as he continued,

"The couple of months I spent with the two of you weren't really... so bad... tell Nanake that..." He closed his eyes and his head fell lifeless onto the ground with his last whisper,

"...Don't... die..."

Vegeta landed, snickering with Nanake held tightly to him. She shrieked, with tears streaming down her face,   
"NOO!!! **NOOOOO**!!!!! **_PICCOLO_**!!! PLEASE NO!!!!"

*ZING!*  
"I-it's gone...!" Goku gasped as he felt the dying power disappear.

*ZING!*

"Good-bye Mr. Popo..." Kami bowed as he faded away from his sobbing friend's sight, "I leave the rest to you..."  


"K-KAMI-SAMA!!!" Popo bawled.

*ZING!*

"**_YAAAA!!!!!!_**" Gohan stood up, screaming by Piccolo's lifeless body.

Vegeta's scouter beeped wildly as Gohan's power rose as quickly as his anger.

"MASENKO..." Gohan's arms rose over his head, gathering energy.

Krillin's eyes widened as his senses pricked up,

"Th-that power... Is that... GOHAN?!"

Vegeta's eyes widened, reading the scouter as he held Nanake tightly to stop her struggling,

"**_POWER 2800_**...!! As I thought! Their powers fluctuate tremndously!!!"

"2800, eh?!" Nappa smirked, getting ready to recieve this attack.

"**DAHHH**!!!!!!" Gohan shouted, firing the huge beam straight at Nappa.

Nappa roared, volleying the attack back at him, making it hit a cliff behind him. Gohan's power dropped substantually and he stammered vowels as Nappa chuckled,

"Not bad for a shrimp... that actually stung a little bit..."

Vegeta smirked once again at the reading,

"His power level dropped all the way down... It looks like he used it all up just now..."

Nanake whimpered and began struggling again in his one arm. Vegeta grew annoyed and took the back of her neck in his free hand and smashed her forehead against his. Nanake cringed in pain, and when she shakily opened an eye she met his cold, glaring ones, staring back into hers. Her eyes widened as she trembled.

"Now what do I have to do to make to shut up and stay still?" He asked in a calm, quiet, and threatening voice. She flinched, squeezing her eyes shut with whimper. He snickered and stroked her chin with the index finger of his other hand and drawled, with a mock soothing voice.

"There's my girl. You'll be good now... right?"

She nodded once, shaking horribley and he smirked,

"That's more like it."

He set her down on her feet but kept his left hand clamped tightly around her right wrist as she dizzly touched her forehead with her shaking, free hand.

Gohan fell on his knees as Nappa stomped closer and closer to him,

"I'm sorry Piccolo..." He smiled weakly, turning to Piccolo's body, I couldn't beat 'em for you... I c-can't even run away anymore..."

Nappa approached the child and raised his foot to stomp hard down upon Gohan's body, howling with laughter,

"I can't wait to see Kakarrot's face when he finds his son crushed to a pulp!!"

His foot came down like thunder with great speed.

Krillin squeezed hi eyes shut, not wanting to see, and Nanake shrieked, reaching her arm towards Gohan,

"**NOO**!!!!"

When Nappa's foot crushed down into the earth, to his surprise, Gohan wasn't underneath his boot. Vegeta twitched and growled in shock as Nanake and Krillin looked on in disbelief. Gohan floated nearby on the golden cloud Nimbus. He stuttered, unbelieving at the golden soft puffs beneath him,

"N-Nimbus?"

"What the hell is that...?!" Nappa stammered, and Vegeta growled as he followed his scouter towards the sky where a man in blue and orange gi stood, floating in mid-air. He descended quickly, landing on the hard earth for the first time in a year. Nappa raised a brow, Gohan smiled, laughing happily and Nanake asked softly with a timid, hopeful smile,

"Is... is this...?"

"G-GOKU!!!" Krillin shouted.

Vegeta smirked evilly at Son Goku as he glared back,

"Well... Finally..."

Son Goku has finally returned, but not in time to save Piccolo or the others! Now only he, his son, Krillin and Nanake are left! But is that even enough to stand a chance against the terrifying Nappa and Vegeta?! Find out next time on DRAGON BALL Z!


End file.
